I admit, I spend a good deal of time on Social Media and what I’ve found is that some intentionality around social media can help to mediate the total time warp it can become. One of the ways that I manage my social media time is to have discernment on what platforms I choose to participate. For me, I spend the MOST time on Instagram. I love Instagram because I’m a lover of the visual (I was an art student, afterall!) and I particularly love photographs. Also, having a farm and cooking food are both VERY photogenic activities!
Over the past few years on Instagram, what I have also discovered is that there is a wealth of resources for information, how-to, and simple smiles that all feed my spirit and mind. So, knowing that, I wanted to share some of my favorite accounts and why I love them! I have to tell you, it was really really REALLY difficult to narrow this list down. Check back on occasion because I’ll probably switch these up as other feeds come to my attention and capture my heart!
And, I’d love to know YOUR favorite Instagram feeds! Share them in the comments below.
Farm & Ranch
Five Marys Farm: Mary, Heff and their 4 daughters (also all named Mary) are a model of a family-run farm that sticks to their values and is committed to quality. I think I watch their stories daily and almost feel like I could do their farm chores myself after watching them day in and day out. Mary shares everything that happens on their farm, in their farm store, at their burgerhouse, and each new project they take on. I’ve learned the rodeo, about pig farrowing, meat sales, and raising a family where everyone works together. I’m also enrolled in their Small Business course, which I have LOVED!
Wing and a Prayer Farm: is a fiber farm run by Tamara. I’m actually a Patreon supporter of this farm and love watching daily life with all the animals. Tammi raises fiber animals, hand dyes all the yarns with home grown natural plant dyes, makes soaps, INCREDIBLE looking pies and more. I’ve learned about almost every aspect of anything related to knitting and wools from the first breath a baby lamb takes to the beautiful garments she and her customers create. She’s also, personally, been an immense support as I learn to raise my own sheep here at Crown Hill. PS: If you get a glimpse of Princess Peppermint in the gardens, you’ll be hooked as a follower!
Tanjas Garten: Tanja has actually become a dear friend, although we’ve never met in person and she lives in Austria. THAT is the value of social media and the internet for me! Tanja, like me, is invested in growing interesting and unique vegetables for foodies & chefs that are interested in diversity of flavor and nutrients. She shares lots about her techniques as well as information about the unique varieties of vegetables she grows.
Boreal Blooms: Heather of Boreal Blooms is another incredible woman who has become a friend. She is a flower farmer in what I think of as one of the more difficult climates to farm - Alberta Canada. Her flower arrangements are beautiful with a hint of wild in them (which I love) and she also shares the daily journey of success and failures on her flower farm. For more about growing flowers, she also has a VERY informative podcast called “The Sustainable Flowers Podcast” available on your usual podcast platforms. I’ve learned a ton about flower farming from her posts.
Cooking & Baking
Jovial Foods: If you’ve seen any of my baking, you probably have come to figure out that I bake almost exclusively with Einkorn wheat flour as opposed to standard flour. Jovial Foods’ Einkorn flour AND Einkorn Cookbook are my go-to’s for everything Einkorn related. Carla gives lots of recipes and techniques for all kinds of foods, through her Instagram, website and blog. If you want to know how to get an Einkorn sourdough going, she’s definitely a resource!
Three Rivers Farm: has been my other sourdough and baking resource. This farm family does it all! They have a micro bakery that ships their natural ferment sourdough products all over the country, they have their own small farm, they host campers, raise kids and experiment with other kinds of fermented foods. They are new to my “roster” but I’ve loved watching them grow and learning more about sourdoughs, ferments and baking through them. They recently had a new baby so I’m sure they’re busy, but Jenna has been a wonderful help and resource for my sourdough baking.
Cooks Illustrated: I’ve mentioned Cooks Illustrated in my cookbooks blog, but here they are again. They are my hands-down FAVORITE publication to get in the mail and their Instagram feed keeps me satiated between issues. You can see gorgeous photos of their recipes as well as access informative articles about techniques and tools. I’ve always felt that their analysis of what they share is useful and empowering to then get creative and make my own choices.
The Feed Feed & Food52: I’ve put these two together because BOTH of them are IMMENSE resources for recipes. I can’t tell you how many times they’ve posted a picture of something and within a week I’m making some version of it. They entice me, get me drooling, spark my kitchen creativity and expand my culinary horizons. PLUS both their websites are GREAT resources for recipe research.
Plants & Gardens
Wild Boar Farms: Brad is basically THE expert on everything Tomatoes. I get most of my heirloom tomato seeds from his farm and he shares about the entire process of breeding, seed saving, flavors, colors, starting, transplanting and more. If you LOVE tomatoes, his feed is a delight to learn more about growing them
Chateaux Villandry: Many years ago, when I travelled in Europe, I toured a bunch of chateaux around the Loire Valley in France. This Chateaux had some of the most impressive ornamental and kitchen gardens. I think seeing gardens like this was an early inspiration to someday grown my own kitchen gardens. I can still feel the sun on my skin and smell the plants from when I walked through these stunning gardens.
Baker Creek Seeds:Baker Creek, in my mind, is one of the premier heirloom seed companies here in the US. I just LOVE their wide range of varieties and probably go a bit wild when I do my seed ordering from them each season. All year long, I’m inspired by their information about different varieties they are bringing to their catalog as well as occasional behind-the-scenes views of their growing operations. I probably have a good number of small seed orders that are a direct result of their posts about interesting veggies, flowers, herbs and fruits!
Silly Fun & Smiles
Sammi Chicken: Sammi is a chicken. With her own account. Who loves the beach and to swim in the ocean. No, really! I love her adventures with sidekick, Dave. She’s sure to make you smile!
Alfie the Alpaca: Lives in Adelaide, Australia and shows what suburban life is like for an alpaca. Super adorable!
Boo The Roo: Boo the Roo is a rooster who plays piano and has strong opinions on his favorite fictional characters. He also helps with house chores and watches cartoons.
Zero Clucks Given: is the backyard home to Maxine Wattles and Ruth Bader Ginsbird. These two chickens give their human mom all kinds of antics and in return she gives them a posh home and yummy treats.
